A treatise on Screens

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, lapis and ballpen, welcome.

This is a small treatise on Screens: the skill you either love with all your heart as a major part of your team attack; or the skill you loathe to the grave as "cheating".

"Screen and Screen! What is Screen?"

The Screen skill is, described in-game, "set a screen for your teammate to get an open shot". Costing 1200 points and one Skill slot, you use it by pressing and holding the W key on offense.

What this does is make your character take up prime screening position, becoming an obstacle to go around. If your opponent tries to force his or her way, several things can happen:

a. Your opponent shoves you aside. (this usually happens if your opponent's Power stat is greater than yours)
b. Your opponent raises your arms and passes through. (this happens if your opponent's Power stat is equal to yours, give or take a few points)
c. You (and this is my favorite) take your opponent and spin him or her around (like a record, baby!), taking him or her away from the play for a few moments. (this happens if your Power stat is greater than your opponent's.

Why does nearly everybody hate Screen?

First of all, most FSSBP players don't dislike the Screen skill per se, it's the act of screening without using the skill (the so-called "moving screen" which is illegal in real basketball and tournament-illegal in other countries' versions of Freestyle Street Basketball) that drives players up the wall. (I'll narrate how the actual Screen skill is leagues better than this crappy improvisation later.)

When players do dislike Screen, it's because they dislike the notion of team play; or some teams don't run plays based on Screen with as many options offered (more on this later).

Why do you like Screen?

Screen plays demolish zone defenses with ease, and makes your offense run in a more dynamic manner. There is also a little play called the Pick-and-Roll, which when run perfectly, cannot be defended against.

Some tips when screening:

Want to set up the best Screens ever? These guidelines may prove helpful.

a. When your opponents use zone defense (and you're the big man), you can Screen your teammates easily.

Since your match-up will always make a beeline for the area immediately under the basket, you have sufficient time to execute the Screen around the Middle Jumper area or the 3-point line.

b. Don't limit your options when being given a Screen.

Remember, this skill is best used to give a teammate an open shot, no matter where he or she finds him/herself open.

c. The perfect Screen isn't something that appears overnight. You have to practice.

Good screens are always a result of hard work, practice, and teamwork. Remember, "anything worth doing is worth doing well; anything worth doing well is worth doing perfectly".

How in the heck do I defend against the Screen?

The Screen skill practically requires teamwork, so in defending against it, you have to employ teamwork as well. If you're a big man, this is especially important. Don't just squat under the ring and wait for a missed shot, because a Screening big man can and will push defenders away from his or her teammates, guaranteeing an open shot at least.

Why do you think Screen is better than "moving screen"?

a. Moving screens don't give you any momentum. When setting a moving screen, you often stray so far from your comfort zone and lose so much momentum, you can't cut to a better spot on the floor - you're stuck with shadowing your teammate during the whole play.

b. When you're so far from your comfort zone, getting offensive rebounds will be a problem, leading you to put everything on your shooter's percentage, leading to strain and pressure. Some players may handle this quite well, but enough of this will result in a lot of mental fatigue. And that's not good.

c. Staying still gets you a better view of the court. So, you'll be able to know when to cut, when to move to another screen position, when to pop up for the jumper, and when to drive in the lane.

d. Staying still gives your teammate a better vantage point as to where he or she should go in lieu of the current situation.

e. You spin me right round, baby, right round, like a record, baby... I guess this effect makes Screens valuable.

I'll follow up this entry with something a little bit more exhaustive about spacing in 3-on-3 matches, and then the dreaded Pick-and-Roll - the play that's easiest to learn and hardest to master.